Hawaii-born-and-raised illustrator Dana Paresa explained why she decided to move to Portland, Ore. Among her reasons: “How can you have true criticism when everybody knows everybody?”

Hawaii has a Jerry Maguire, finally, and she attended Kamehameha. This story could be called “The Things We Think and Do Not Say on an Island.” Almost every employee in the state can relate (including journalists) but we cannot say it, or the crabs will get crabby again. Thank you for this! We would love to see more pieces like it.
—Tim Ruel | Honolulu, Hawaii

Senior editor David Thompson profiled the International Market Place, which was slated to be cleared out for redevelopment by the end of the year.

I’m not really happy to see it go, but maybe this is a good thing. In the end, everyone was selling the same stuff. It got tiring after a while. This new mall might open up more jobs, because let’s face it, no one was hiring anyone there, except maybe Maui Divers and ABC Stores. However, The International Market Place has always been a nostalgic place for my family and me. We’ll truly miss it.
—Pikake Smallan | Kealakekua, Hawaii (via Facebook)

I can see the handwriting on the wall now. After going to Honolulu every year since 1984, it has changed so much, there is no comparison. But as one of our true Hawaiian guides said during one of our tours of the island, Hawaiians don’t care as long as tourists stay in Waikiki and leave the rest of the island for Hawaiians. Unfortunately, that is not the case either, as they are buying the properties all over the place at high prices, which leaves true Hawaiian people out cold. It is so sad to see Islanders struggling to hang on to their ancestors’ grounds.
—Eija Gavlick | (via Facebook)

The International Market Place as it appears today.

Photo: Dallas Nagata White

A rendering of the high-end retail, dining and entertainment complex that's planned to replace it.